Bewitchin' in the Kitchen

Zucchini Casserole

I can't explain it, but think it may have something to do with painting en plein air or feeling a bit Monet or Van Gogh, or maybe just seeing the movie "Midnight in Paris" but lately I'm attracted to everything French. My new journal has an image of the Eiffle Tower on the cover. I want to find a class to learn to speak French. I've bought more books than I care to count on "being french." I dream of visiting Paris.

And before you go thinking the South has nothing to do with France, I ask you to reread your copy of Gone with the Wind. Katie Scarlett O'Hara may have been named after her Irish paternal grandmother, however her maternal grandmother was Solange Prudhomme Robillard from France. (Now, there is a prequel screaming to be written!) The south is chocked full of western European descendants and influence.

I found a recipe I wanted to try and being absolutely delicious had to share it here. And it's french, of course.

This recipe is a typical hearty Provençal vegetable gratin called Zucchini Tian. Try getting your husband or your kids to eat that! I like it because it mimick's my own squash casserole recipe and uses up the last remaining zucchini from the garden.

  
Zucchini Tian

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 - 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 to 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds zucchini, diced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
• 1/2 cup Arborio rice, cooked
• 2 eggs
• 4 ounces cheese, grated  (Gruyere preferred, but is $1.50 oz., so you may want to use swiss or white cheddar)
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
2. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and add garlic.
4. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, until the squash is translucent but not mushy, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Stir in the thyme and rice, and remove from the heat.
7. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cheese. Stir in a small amount of the zucchini mixture and and stir to warm up the eggs without curdling. Gradually add more zucchini mixture and combine well.
8. Scrape into the gratin dish. Sprinkle with more grated cheese, if desided.
9. Sprinkle wiht the breadcrumbs over the top. And drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
10. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the gratin is sizzling.
11. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving hot.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
Pretty Tasty!!!

Asparagus Asiago stuffed Pork Chops

With several art shows and fundraisers to prepare for, cooking has not been on the agenda for more than a month. At best I've thrown together a quick salad or stir-fry, and even at times resorted to popping over to a drive thru (Yikes!).

However, today I saw a recipe from Southern Living Magazine that I wanted to try. However, I rarely follow a recipe ver batim. The original called for parsley instead of asparagus, but doesn't asparagus sound better?  And doesn't Arborio rice sound better than breadcrumbs?? I had planned to use chicken broth, but when I got home from the market I noticed I didn't have any, so cream of chicken soup instead. So this recipe was inspired by Southern Living, but it's my own creation.

And if you add rice and asparagus to the filling, all you have to do is serve a salad or fruit to the side and you've got a complete meal. Voila!

 
Mark it down now. This dish is to die for!

 Ingredients

2 cups arborio rice, cooked

1 cups grated Asiago cheese

1 cup chopped, fresh asparagus (tender ends only)

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup chicken broth (or in my case, 2/3 can of cream of chicken soup mixed with a little water)

4 (2-inch-thick) center-cut pork loin chops

 

Preparation

Combine all ingredients, except chops, in a large bowl.

Cut a slit in the side of each pork chop to form a pocket. Spoon stuffing evenly into pockets, and secure with wooden picks, if needed.

Spray an iron skillet with Pam. Set Pork Chops in skillet and salt and pepper to taste.

Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes until the meat reads 160* when tested with an instant-read food thermometer.

Delicious!!!

Bowtie Chicken

My friends Kathy and Michael made a new slow cooker recipe last week called Angel Chicken. It sounded so delicious I had to try it for myself. Being a bit overwhelmed lately with a sister-in-law in the hospital, ailing parents, a sick puppy dropped off at my house, a pecan tree falling on the car and trying to paint for several upcoming art shows, I COMPLETELY FORGOT to photograph making this recipe.

However, with the wonderful world of Google Images and a sweet cook named Tiffany at Eat at Home, I was able to borrow a photo of the early prep. Please go to Tiffany's Facebook page and "like" Eat at Home. Might as well follow Charm of the Carolines, too, while you are there.  Thank you!

However where recipe calls for angel hair pasta, I used Bowtie. It's more whimsical.

• 6 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (It's worth the extra to buy it already prepared)
• 1 stick butter, or a little less
• 1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
• 1 can golden mushroom soup
• 4 oz. cream cheese with herbs and chives
• 1 cup sour cream, optional
• 1 can mushroom, stems and pieces, optional
• 1/2 cup white wine, broth or water (I used water. Tiffiany cleverly froze leftover wine in a Dixie up for use in cooking later)
• angel hair pasta, cooked (Or Bowtie)

Place a liner in your slow cooker. Put the chicken in the crockpot. Although I didn't chop the chicken first, it all but fell apart when I went to serve it. Smaller pieces are easier to serve.

Melt the butter and soften the cream cheese in the microwave.  Stir those together with the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken. 

Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve over prepared pasta.

I served this dish with a tossed green salad and sauteed garlic asparagus. According to Kathy, you can add veggies in the crock pot and serve it all together. I may add peas and carrots next time.

 

Hoppin' John

Thinking ahead to New Year's Day, tonight I practiced making a Black-eye Peas recipe called Hoppin John. It's one of the oldest "southern recipes" around, being referenced in the 1847 The Carolina Housewife by Sarah Rutledge.

It's customary to serve black-eye peas on New Years for good luck. I think the peas are supposed to represent coins. Served with greens, which represent money and cornbread which represents gold. Tonight I didn't have greens or cornbread, but did have the ingredients for Hoppin' John. Yum!

There are as many ways to make Hoppin John as there are cooks, but the basic recipe includes Black-eye peas, pork, onion and rice.

Hoppin John

Ingredients

• 6 link sausages, cooked and diced
• 1/2 pork kielbasa, diced
• 12 oz bag chopped frozen onion, celery, green and red peppers
• 2 carrots, cleaned and diced
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cajon seasoning
• 1 cup rice, uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 16 oz frozen black-eye peas
• salt, pepper, Tabasco to taste

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350*

In a deep pan or skillet, saute pork until fully cooked. 

Without draining fat, add vegetables (except peas) and garlic. Cook until veggies are almost tender, about 10 minutes.

Add seasoning and rice. Stir. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

Lower heat and cover pot. Cook for 15 minutes.

Add peas. Mix. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Salt and Pepper to taste. Let guests add as much or as little Tabasco as they like.

Variations include adding diced tomatoes to the recipe or topping with chopped green onion.  I've even seen some recipes call for adding boiled, peeled shrimp on the side. Yum!

Although I like to eat my Hoppin' John with a fork, some recipes are for a more soupy version to be consumed with a spoon. However you make your version, there is no wrong way to enjoy New Year's Hoppin John!

Cheese Tortellini on Wilted Greens

 
Cheese Tortellini on Wilted Greens

Ingredients

• 1 package cheese tortelloni (or mushroom or any other flavor)
• 4 bacon slices, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 small can peas and diced carrots
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped (optional)
• baby spinach, thoroughly washed
• 1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Prepare tortelloni according to package directions. Keep warm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, reserving drippings in skillet.

 

 

 

 

 

Add onion and sauté until tender. Stir in garlic and sauté 1 minute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir in wine (or broth) and vinegar, and cook 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

 

 

 

 

 

Stir in chicken broth, peas, carrots, tomatoes, and tortelloni, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve over salad greens, and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon.

Shrimp and Asparagus

 
My friend Kent Bailey is an excellent cook. I haven't seen him since high school, but with the magic of Facebook I get to see what he has for dinner many nights. This week he posted this recipe for Shrimp and Asparagus. I happened to have all the ingredients already here at the house because I love every ingredient in here. The only way I can think of to make it better would be to add bacon and guess what? I have some of that, too!!

 

I love bacon. Jus' sayin'.

Shrimp and Asparagus

 Ingredients
1/2 pound fresh asparagus
1/2 (16 ounce) package egg noodles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1.In a small saucepan, boil or steam asparagus in enough water to cover until tender; chop and set aside.

2.Bring a large pot of salted water to full boil, place the pasta in the pot and return to a rolling boil; cook until al dente. Drain well.

3.In a large saucepan, saute garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat until the garlic is golden brown.

4.Place butter and lemon juice in the saucepan. Heat until the butter has melted. Place the shrimp in the saucepan and cook until the shrimp turns pink. Place the mushrooms and asparagus into the saucepan, cook until mushrooms are tender.

5.Toss the shrimp and vegetable mixture with the egg noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

Jellied Chicken

With my fascination with all things 1940s, occassionally I'll research 1940s menus to decide what to cook for dinner. I've found most of these recipes are nutritious, delicious, and economical. One menu in particular intrigued me, but not enough to actually make the recipe. However, I still wanted to share it here.

It contains gelatin. I detest gelatin in any form. Jello, Aspic, even jelly if it's not spread paper thin makes me cringe. It's a texture thing.

Anyone brave enough to try this one??

 

Jellied Chicken

The bride was giving her first company dinner. She'd read and heard that smart hostesses prepared as much of the food in the morning as they possibly could, so they wouldn't be stampeded with half a dozen things to do at the same time after the guests arrived. Because it was summer, she chose the following menu:

Jellied Chicken

Creamed Potatoes with Chives

New Beet Greens

Hot Biscuits

Jelly

Strawberry Shortcake

Iced Tea and Coffee

Ingredients

Cook a 4 lb. chicken in boiling water with 2 onions, 1½ tbsp. salt and a handful of celery tops. Simmer gently for about 2 hours. Cut meat in small pieces. There should be 3 to 4 cups of cut-up meat. Strain the liquid and boil rapidly until reduced to about 2¾ cupfuls. Now take:

• 2 tbsp. gelatin
• 4 tbsp. cold water
• 2 cups hot broth, chicken
• 3 to 4 cups coarsely cut-up cooked meat
• 1 tsp. salt

Preparation Instructions

Soak gelatin in cold water ... then add to the hot broth, stirring to dissolve completely. Let mixture cool until it begins to thicken. Then add cut-up cooked meat and salt. Set aside.

Place in the bottom of an oiled bread loaf pan slices of hard cooked eggs, slices of stuffed olives and strips of pimiento arranged like real flowers. Cover with a little of the gelatin broth mixture. Allow this to become set - to hold the decorations in place - before adding the gelatin-meat mixture.Pour remaining chicken gelatin mixture over decorative flowers previously set into an oiled bread loaf pan. Chill until "set".Unmold and serve on a platter garnished with parsley bouquets, radish roses, tomato wedges, and lettuce, endive or watercress. Your 4 lb chicken will serve 8-10.

Roasted Veggies, Sausage, and Shrimp

This recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to get in your 5 colors of veggies a day. I never have any trouble getting folks to the supper table when roasted veggies, sausages and shrimp are on the menu.

 

Ingredients

Small bag of petite Yukon Gold potatoes, cleaned and cut into chunks

1 large green pepper, cut into rings

2 large onions, cut into chunks

Bag of carrots, cleaned and cut into pieces

1 (1 pound) package Smoked Sausage, cut on the diagonal

2-3 ears of corn, cleaned and cut into 2-3 inch sections

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

Shrimp

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

 

 

Preparation

Use a couple of cookie sheets and line with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. 

 
Toss vegetables with oil, sprinkle on salt, pepper, garlic powder and basil. 

Cook in preheated 450 degree oven for 30 minutes. 

Remove from oven and add sausage and shrimp. Cook for 15 more minutes. 

 

Note:  You can do this with all kinds of vegetables. Use whatever you have on hand.

 

 

Charm of the Carolines is participating in a few linky parties today. Click here for details.

 

Tuna and Egg Salad

 
With the temps reaching dangerously close to triple digits here in middle Tennessee, I don't want to cook anything that requires an oven that might heat up the house. Thank goodness for tuna salad!

I love it because it's delicious, nutritious, and easy to make. What I don't like is tuna in a can, but hey, I'm not a princess. I can make do. However, I've found the strong, fishy taste of tuna goes a long way. It only takes a little so not to overwhelm the other flavors.

And I've found this to be the best recipe to enjoy tuna salad.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 can tuna in water, drained
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 6 eggs, boiled, peeled and chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• chopped pecans or sliced almonds, optional

Sidebar:  You know the economy is bad when a southern cook who swears by Hellmann's Mayonnaise has switched to a generic. In lean times, everyone has sacrifices to make. However, there has been a trade-off. Even though prepared food coming in to the kitchen has been generic, the produce and eggs have come from the local farmer's market walking distance from my house. The flavors of just-pick fruits and veggies along with eggs from happy, free-range farm pets are amazing!!!

Preparation

 
 
Mix, chill, serve on lettuce or in a homegrown, cored tomato or on homemade sourdough bread. The longer you chill, the better the flavors marry, but who can wait?  Yum!

 
 
Fine enough to serve company.

Oriental Chicken Salad

Especially in the summertime when fresh from the garden fruits and veggies are in season, I try to see how many colors I can consume in one day. As for counting calories, fruit and veggie calories don't count. The more the merrier!!

I especially like to use a variety of veggies in soups, salad, stir-frys and for roasting. This recipe I'll share below is one of my all-time favorite salad recipes. Say it all together now, "DE - LISH!"

 

Oriental Chicken Salad

For the salad:

2 packages ramen noodle mix, Chicken or Oriental flavor, toasted and flavor packet set aside for dressing
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 package tri-color coleslaw mix
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
6 green onions, whites & green, chopped
vinaigrette dressing (recipe below)

Heat oven to 350 F.  Break up the ramen noodles and place them and the almonds on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 6 minutes, or until the noodles and almonds turn light brown.

Place slaw mix, chicken, cilantro, and green onions in a large serving bowl or layered on individual plates. 

 
 

Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.  Scatter the toasted almonds and noodles on top and serve.

 

Vinaigrette dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 fresh squeezed lemon - juice only 
2 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 reserved flavor packet from the ramen noodles
1/2 cup olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, pepper and one of the reserved flavor packets from the noodles in a mason jar with the lid on.  This way you can double the recipe and store the remainder in the fridge for future salads.

 

 

Homemade Chicken Salad

When posting about homemade tuna salad, I had one follower on Facebook comment, "Or go to Kroger and purchase a package of Mrs. Grissom's."  And this is a viable option. A delicious viable option.

With no disrespect to the Mrs. Grissom's Company, I've purchased their salads on many occassions such as going fishing or canoeing and need to pack a lunch in disposable containers. But for entertaining or simply making a great meal for yourself, nothing beats homemade tuna salad and chicken salad.

With chicken salad, I start from scratch. First you boil a chicken. I add onion and carrots not only to flavor up the meat, but also the broth that I'll use to make something else, say Dumplins for example.

 
When the meat is cooked, remove it from the broth and let it cool. Using poultry shears, cut the meat from the bone in small chunks. Discard skin and bone. I don't even give this to the dog for fear they will choke.  
Skim the fat off the broth and discard the fat. Rreserve the broth for another meal.

 
 
To your cut up chicken add pineapple chunks, slivered almonds, chopped onion, chopped celery (especially the leaves), mayonnaise, a little sour cream, salt and pepper.

 
 
Mix well, adjusting mayo-sour cream mixture to reach the consistency you like.

 
Serve on a bed of homegrown lettuce or lettuce grown locally and purchased at the farmers market.

Yummo!

HOT Chicken

Memphis has its barbeque. Chicago has its deep dish pizza. And Nashville has HOT Chicken!

This past 4th of July marked the 5th Annual Nashville HOT Chicken festival in Nashville.

The first 500 people were treated to free hot chicken samples from Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, The Chicken Shack and Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish, but after the free stuff was gone, it was gone. Anyone wanting a taste would have to purchase a plate at the food garden.

So what is HOT Chicken? Andre Prince Jeffries tells us her great uncle Thornton Prince was a womanizer. After one very late night on the town, his main lady friend decided to punish him by cooking up a batch of fried chicken but added lots and lots of cayenne pepper to the recipe. The only problem was HE LIKED IT!!

Folks who are a fan of this culinary adventure tell stories of intense pain associated with the experience, and then you take your second bite.

If you are in Nashville and want to experience this for yourself, come down to Prince's Hot Chicken Shack at 123 Ewing Dr. Hours are noon-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and noon-4 a.m. Friday and Saturday.  

If you can't make it to Nashville anytime soon and want to try a version of it at home, I've found a recipe to share. I HAVEN'T MADE THIS RECIPE. I'm too chicken (no pun intended!)

The Paste (enough for one or two chicken breasts):

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp lard

3 tbsp cayenne

3 pinches sugar

3/8 tsp salt

¼ tsp garlic powder

Other Ingredients:

Self-rising flour, chicken, white bread, and pickles

All the seasoning is in the paste; dredge the chicken in plain self-rising flour. Fry it.

Mix all of the ingredients for the paste (microwaving the lard for about 30 seconds will make this easier). Apply it evenly and liberally to the fried chicken using either a basting brush or your latex glove-protected hands. Note: use about a teaspoonful of paste for each side of a chicken breast. This method is the only way  to get the orange, grease-soaked white bread that is the hallmark of all true hot chicken.

When you've covered the top half, flip it over onto a piece of white bread and finish the job. Enjoy.

Chicken and Cornmeal Dressing

   This recipe is on my list to make. And honestly I'm storing it here on my laptop while my friend Dewey dictates it to me. Tomorrow is his birthday,and he's reminiscing about his Momma's garden and her cooking and her "medicine." Dewey's great granddaddy on this mother's side, Edward Robb, was an old country doctor who traveled from home to home by horse and carriage. In the spring he recommended giving all the children a heaping teaspoon of sugar with 2-3 drops of turpentine to kill any worms. I hate to laugh, I had to take a dewormer several times as a child. YUCK!!!

Well, Dewey remembers his mothers Chicken and Dumplings, but they were different from other people's Chicken and Dumplings because they were made with yellow cornmeal. And he is drooling talking about how the dumplings would absorb all the chicken goodness.

Since Dewey can't remember the recipe verbatim, we are hear sitting in the rockers on the front porch and searching the internet for a recipe that comes close. Thank goodness for wireless internet! We found this one on the "Taste of Country" website. I trust Taste of Country, and since I need to go to the market to purchase these ingredients, I'll post the recipe here and pictures later.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup chopped whole kernel corn
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 quarts chicken broth

Directions

• In a saucepan, combine cornmeal, salt and water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until very thick. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Stir in corn, butter, onion and pepper; let stand for 3 minutes.
• Add egg; mix well.
• In a bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour and baking powder. Add to cornmeal mixture; beat well.
• Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls; roll in remaining flour to lightly coat.
• In a Dutch oven or kettle, bring broth to a boil.
• Add dumplings. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean (do not lift the cover while simmering). 

Yield: 8-9 servings

(photo courtesay: The Gourmet Project)

Bubble And Squeak

 
I love the 1940s and WWII era history, especially US homefront history. I'm naturally frugal, but being a self-employed artist, I'm accustomed to lean times as well as times of plenty. Never fear, when entering times lean I simply remember my family and their experience during WWII when so many things were either rationed or unavailable. It was a time of Victory Gardens and faux seams for stockings.

Bubble and Squeak is a British recipe that became very popular during WWII when food was rationed, and folks were encouraged to use everything including leftovers, to make meals. Bubble and Squeak is also made with cabbage, the most nutritious vegetable.

 

Every cook has her or his own version of Bubble and Squeak, but here is mine...

 

Fry up a few slices of bacon and saute a large diced onion in the bacon and the fat that is rendered. I also added a little country ham, just because I had it and wanted to use it up.

While that is frying, wash and dice some potatoes. I prefer Yukon Gold because they are little and affordable. Be sure to dice the potatoes in small and evenly so they cook throughout. When the bacon is fried and the onions are soft and translucent, add the diced potatoes.

 

 
Clean a cabbage,discarding the outer leaves and core. Chop half of the cabbage.

 
Add a little olive oil to the bacon-onion-potato skillet and continue to fry.  I add a lid to hold in the heat. When the potatoes are soft, add the cabbage and the beef kielbasa and add the lid. Allow everything to fry and steam, stirring rarely but also not letting it burn.

 
Remove kielbasa and stir 2-3 times, continuing to cook the dish.

Slice Kielbasa and add back to the skillet, stirring well. Add a tablespoon or two of butter and let it melt. Stir well. Add salt and pepper.

Serve hot.

Don't forget to make Sweet Tea and a Vinegar Pie for dessert!

Low country Chicken Pilau

 
This past weekend I visited my parents and had the pleasure of cooking dinner at their house in Franklin. A wonderful recipe caught my attention on Chef Rick's blog about a South Carolina low country dish called Pilau (or pilaf), also called Perloo.

Naturally I had to vary it a bit and make it my own. And since I've never eaten Low Country Chicken Pilau I have no idea if my recipe is even true to the essence of the original. However, I will say it was delicious!!!!

 

Low Country Chicken Pilau

 

Yield: 4 servings

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• cooked and diced country ham or bacon, reserve the fat
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup Roma tomatoes, chopped

 

  In a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the chicken in two tablespoons of the oil.

Remove chicken and set aside.

Add half of the onions to the drippings, and sauté until tender.

Place the chicken back into the pot, and simmer in one cup of the chicken broth until the chicken is tender, about 40 minutes.

Remove chicken, pour off and reserve the pan juices.

Allow chicken to cool,  debone.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the country ham or bacon and sauté until brown.

Add the remaining onion and celery and sauté until tender.

Add the rice and sauté, until it looks opaque.

Add the pepper, then pour the reserved pan juices back into the pot and add the tomatoes.

Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, adding more chicken broth if needed.

Add the chicken pieces to the rice; heat 2 to 3 minutes.

Adjust seasoning and serve.

Whoopie Pies

For cakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Hershey's special dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg

For filling

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Make cakes:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

Make filling:
Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Assemble pies:
Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

Cooks' notes: • Cakes can be made 3 days ahead and kept, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature.

• Filling can be made 4 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

Lobster Grilled Cheese with tomato bisque

INGREDIENTS:

Grilled Cheese

Brie 1/2 pound
Cream cheese 2 Tbs
Sweetwater Tenn. Sharp Cheddar 1/2 pound
Lobster, cooked and chopped 1/2 pound
Brioche, sliced As Needed

Chilled Tomato Bisque
Heirloom tomatoes, large dice 1 qt
Vidalia onion, large dice 1 ea
Roasted Garlic Cloves 5 ea
Gewurztraminer 2 cups
Bay Leaf 1 ea
Basil leaves ½ cup
Fennel tops 1 ½ tbs
Tarragon 1 Tbs

Green Goddess Dressing
Egg Yolks 2 ea
Garlic, minced 2 tsp.
Olive Oil 1 cup
Lemon Juice 1 Lemon
Parsley 1/2 cup
Tarragon 2 Tbs
Basil 2 Tbs
Salt, kosher 2 tea
Worcestershire 1 Tbs
Water ¼ cup
Black Pepper, ground ½ Tbs

INSTRUCTIONS:
Grilled cheese sandwiches:

1) Boil a 1 ½-# lobster until done, about eight to ten minutes, remove from water and place in an ice bath until chilled. Remove from shell and chop into a medium dice, about 1/2 inch. Set aside. The meat in lobster will vary, so the amount is not set; feel free to increase to as much as you like but I wouldn’t decrease the amount any.
2) Small dice, about ¼ inch, cheddar cheese and set aside. If you can’t find Sweetwater cheddar any good quality cheddar will work.
3) Whip cream cheese until smooth with electric mixer, add brie and repeat
4) Season with salt and pepper until it tastes good
5) Fold in cheddar cheese and lobster
6) Check seasoning
7) Portion into about 3oz and spread between sliced brioche, 2-inch by 3-inch. We make our own brioche at the restaurant but at home any bread will work, even white bread would be delicious. The size is accurate; if your bread is substantially bigger I would cut it down, otherwise you will end up with all bread and no filler.
8) Sear sandwiches in butter until brown on either side and finish in an oven at 350˚ until the lobster is warm.
9) Slice on an angle and serve

Chilled Tomato Bisque

1) Sweat onions and roasted garlic in very little olive oil on low heat, covered until onions are translucent. Roast garlic in a little bit of oil covered in 350˚oven until soft, or put a whole head of garlic in oven until soft and squeeze out meat making sure to not get any peel.
2) Add tomatoes, bay leaf and wine. We only use heirloom tomatoes when they are in season. Vine ripes and romas will also work and are readily available all year round.
3) Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until tomatoes break down
4) Combine with herbs and puree in a blender. Feel free to increase the amount of tarragon to substitute for fennel tops.
5) Season with salt and pepper and cool
6) Recheck seasoning after chilled. Cold food takes more seasoning then hot food.

Green Goddess Dressing

1) Whip eggs and garlic until fluffy. We use a blender, but for such a small amount a whip and a bowl set on a wet rolled towel curved like a toilet seat will work just as well.
2) Combine water, lemon juice, and Worcestershire and set aside
3) Drizzle olive oil in until the mixture starts to get really thick
4) Add a bit of the water mixture to thin back out and repeat until both are fully incorporated
5) Chop herbs very fine and add to mix with seasoning
6) We are basically making mayonnaise with olive oil and adding herbs and flavor. If you would like to save a step use mayo and add the garlic, herbs and seasoning and you should get close.

SERVES: Serves 6-8

SOS

SOS

4½ oz. jar dried beef, chopped
2 cups milk
2 tbs. butter
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
6 slices bread

Melt butter in pan, add dried beef. Cook 2-3 minutes to brown. Add flour and mix with dried beef. Add milk (reserve ¼ cup for later), salt & pepper. Bring to boil. Add remaining milk to thin to your desired likeness.

Serve over toast.

Butternut Squash and Sausage Casserole

This recipe sounded so good to me that I bought enough ingredients to make it twice. The first batch was going to be my practice dish. The second was the  "Oh my gosh, it's Martha Stewart" dish to share at Thanksgiving. However, the first dish was soooooooo bad, it never made it to Thanksgiving.

In defense of the recipe, it was not the recipe's fault. First of all I decided to make my own seasoned croutons. This would have worked if I had paid attention and pulled the toast out of the oven on time. Second, it would have worked if I started over instead of selecting the least burned croutons in which to make the dish.

The dish was sooooooo bad I had to take a picture of it to show you, but it is residing on a hard drive with a fried motherboard. (Is there anything I don't accidentally burn?)

Anyway, yesterday was quite beautiful with middle Tennessee's first snowfall of the season and while I was enjoying watching from inside, I also popped in a "Holiday Inn" DVD and started making lunch from the ingredients purchased for the second batch of the casserole.

This one turned out much better.

You'll need:

• 1 pound ground breakfast sausage
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 white onions, diced
• 1 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• salt and pepper
• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 small acorn squash
• 1/2 cup shredded smoked mozzarella
• 1 small can chicken stock
• 6 oz seasoned croutons, or make your own if you dare.
• 1 tablespoon butter

With the sharp and pointed end of a vegetable peeler or the prongs of a fork, prick holes in the butternut and acorn squash to vent, and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400*until the squash is soft enough to cut in half.

Cut squashes in half and continue baking until the meat is soft and can be easily be sliced away from the peel and into cubes.

While the squash is roasting, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until just browning, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Remove cooked sausage and drain on paper towels.

To the rendered fat in the skillet add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, the onions, thyme and sage.

Season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen brown bits.

 

 

When onions are thoroughly soft, add the croutons and stir a bit, remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the squash from the oven and allow it to cool until you can handle it.

Remove the peel, seeds, and pulp. Cube the remaining squash meat.

Add a tablespoon of butter and the squash in a single layer in the skillet. (If the skillet isn't big enough, you'll need to do this in two batches.) Let the squash brown, undisturbed, for 4 minutes then stir the squash as it cooks for the next 4 minutes.

To assemble the casserole, spray the baking baking dish with PAM. Layer the onion mixture, cooked sausage, and squash.

Sprinkle the smoked mozzarella over the top, and the pour the stock into the baking dish. Press the top of the casserole with a spatula to evenly distribute the liquid.

 

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Salmon in Phyllo Purses with lemon-scallion sauce

While in Connecticut last week, Judith made the most delicious and nutritious dinner, Salmon in Phyllo Purses with lemon sauce.

Salmon in Phyllo Purses with lemon sauce

• 4 fillets of Salmon, seasoned with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
• Phyllo dough
• fresh dill
• butter, melted
• Good Seasons dry salad dressing packet, Basil Vinaigrette flavored
• Lemons
• Flour
• 2 cups cream
• green onion
• shallot

Preheat oven to 420*.

Remove the skin from the salmon and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Sprinkle with seasonings found in a packet of dry salad dressing mix like Good Seasons.

Set seasoned salmon on 4 phyllo sheets and add chopped fresh dill and dot with butter. If you want the "purses" flaky, brush each sheet individually with butter before stacking and setting salmon atop.

Melt butter.

Wrap salmon in phyllo, brushing with butter along the way to help the phyllo stick together in a package shape.

 
Place in a casserole dish greased with butter and bake in a 420* oven for 20 minutes.

 For carrots, simply peel off outer layer of cleaned carrots and place on foil. Season with butter, brown sugar, pink salt, dill, and honey. Wrap and bake in 420* oven for 30 minutes.

For another side, Judith made wild rice. She chopped thin asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces and added to the rice to steam. Delish!

For the sauce,

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add 2 cups of cream and stir over medium heat.

  

Add chopped green onion and chopped scallion.

Add the zest and juice of one lemon. And add just enough flour to thicken to a nice consistency.

Plate, serve, enjoy!

Butter Bean Risotto with fried okra

Ok, you may have noticed I skipped the fried Okra and added fried Chicken instead. Still de-lish!

Fried okra:

• 1/2 cup fresh okra, sliced
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Risotto:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup torn Swiss chard or Kale
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (or more broth)
• 16-ounce butter beans, prepared 
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

For fried okra:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place okra in small bowl; pour buttermilk over. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain off buttermilk.

Place cornmeal in medium bowl. Mix in salt and pepper.

Add okra; toss to coat.

Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add okra; sauté until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.

Transfer to baking sheet.

For risotto:
Heat oil in heavy dutch oven over medium heat. Add chard and toss until wilted and tender, about 3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon butter and onion; sauté until

soft but not brown, about 2 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add rice; stir to coat well, about 3 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add wine; simmer until wine evaporates, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add 1 cup broth. Simmer until absorbed, stirring almost constantly, about 2 minutes. Continue to add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, simmering until broth is absorbed each time and rice is creamy and just tender, stirring almost constantly, about 18 minutes longer. Mix in butter beans, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon butter. Season risotto with salt and pepper.

Divide risotto among bowls; sprinkle with okra. Pass more Parmesan alongside.

 

Pumpkin Chili

I love autumn. I love the chill in the air and the smell of fallen leaves. I love bonfires and hayrides and I love football. Chili seems to be the perfect dish to go with any autumn activities. This recipe is one of my favorites.

Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 cups solid pack pumpkin (or non-candied yams, drained and mashed)
• 2 cans red kidney beans (or chili beans or combination of the two)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 cup water, or more if needed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 or 2 cans chopped tomatos
• 3 tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste
• few dashes of tabasco
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 2 bay leaves

Preparation 

In a large iron dutch oven, brown ground beef, simultaneously softening chopped onions. Drain off excess fat. I have a friend that puts her browned ground beef in a colendar and runs hot water over it to remove all the fat. However, it removes much of the flavor, too.

Mash pumpkin (or sweet potatoes/yams) and add to browned ground beef and onion mixture.

 

Add chili beans.

Add light red kidney beans.

Add tomatoes.

Add chili powder to taste. Start out with a couple of tablespoons. You can always taste it later and add more.

Add Bay Leaves.

Stir well, add about a cup of water and simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 hours. Do not let the chili dry out. Add more water if needed.

Remove bay leafs before serving. I like to make chili a day ahead of time and let the flavors marry overnight. Reheat before serving, adding a half cup more water if needed.

Serve in your favorite autumn bowls with crackers, garlic bread, or grilled cheese cut into small triangles.

Moules Bodling (mussels,clams, shrimp on rice)

Spending a week in Connecticut, I wanted to enjoy the availability of fresh seafood. Judith, Kevin and I went to the local market to order fresh lobster. Jim, who manages the seafood counter, had live lobsters in the tank, but they wouldn't do. He said the best lobster is the freshest lobster and it's still in the ocean. Here he is calling in our order for lobster that are yet to be caught and delivered fresh the next morning.

So for lunch today and dinner this evening we selected from the abundance of fresh choices packed in ice...mussels, salmon, and shrimp, too.

Moules Bodling

Prepare wild rice according to directions on the box. Set aside.

In a food processor, chop 6 leaves of fresh basil, tarragon, 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, 2-3 stalks worth of thyme leaves, 2 shallots, 2-3 green onion and small sweet onion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rinse 1/2 pound cooked shrimp and remove tails. Soak in milk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rinse pound of mussels and/or clams. Shells must be fully closed or you will need to discard any that have opened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a skillet over high heat, add olive oil, sesame oil, and black truffle oil.

Brown your veggies and herbs. Remove half of the veggie/herb mixture, saving it for the shrimp. Add 1/2 packet of dry seasonings that come in an envelope to make salad dressing. We chose basil vinegrette flavored. Add to skillet of oil and veggies.

Add 1/2 cup madeira or dry white wine and 1/2 cup or more chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add mussels and/or clams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover and reduce heat, allowing shellfish to steam and shells to open, about 3 minutes.

Drain milk off shrimp and add shrimp to skillet with remaining veggies/herbs and cook until heated through.

Remove from heat.

 

 

 

Divide wild rice into serving sizes and add to plate or bowl. Pull mussels and/or clams from shells and add meat to rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Ladel on shrimp with broth mixture.

Season with sweet, Himalayan pink salt, chili powder and cayenne to taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve with either of two local wines... Hopkin's Vineyard Sachem's Picnic, a semi-sweet red, or Hopkin's Vineyard Apple Cidar. After all, It was a working lunch.

Steamed lobster with garlic butter

I've always loved lobster, but had never prepared it myself. What a thrill to learn the mysteries surrounding this delicious little crustacean! My friends Judith and Kevin taught me the finer points of making a lobster dinner at home.

At the market Jim called in our order for 3 lobsters to be caught and delivered to us by the next morning.

Because lobster in the tank simply wouldn't do. They aren't fresh unless they are hours removed from sea water. These little guys get to live to see another day.

This is Chris handing us three beauties the next morning. (Just love a man who appreciates good cooking with quality ingredients! Not to mention he didn't laugh at me when I jumped out of my skin when the bag moved.)

Remove rubber bands securing the lobsters' claws and rinse. I find it was easier not making eye contact. There's something just wrong about being introduced to dinner while it's still crawling around in your sink.

Judith says the trick to making good lobster is never letting it touch the water. She has a large steamer pot, much like a double boiler with holes. For us landlocked folks who don't want to invest in a special pot for steaming lobsters, a vegetable steamer basket set in a large dutch oven should work, too.

Another trick is to season everything with envelopes of spices sold as salad dressing mixes.

Add corn and any other veggies you want to steam for dinner. Set timer for 15 minutes.

While the lobster and corn are steaming, melt butter in a separate pan. Press fresh garlic from 2-3 cloves to make flavorful drawn butter for dipping.

Select a Reisling.

Looking good. Dinner is nearly ready.

Remove lobster from steam pot. Judith suggest dropping them into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Remove meat from the claws and tail. Dip in garlic butter. Enjoy!!!

Buffalo Chicken Cornbread with Blue Cheese Salad

 

2009 NATIONAL CORNBREAD COOK-OFF

South Pittsburgh, TN

FIRST PLACE

Buffalo Chicken Cornbread with Blue Cheese Salad

Sonya Goergen – Moorhead, MN

Ingredients

No-Stick Cooking Spray

 

Cornbread

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1(6.5 oz.) pkg.

Yellow Cornbread Mix

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 cups fully cooked frozen boneless buffalo-style hot wings, thawed and diced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

 

Salad

1/2 small head of lettuce, chopped

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

2/3 cup blue cheese salad dressing

1/2 cup tomatoes, diced

Chopped cilantro

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 10 1/2-inch 

cast iron skillet with no-stick cooking spray. Stir egg, milk and oil together. Add cornbread mix, Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup blue cheese, diced hot wings, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Stir until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared skillet, spreading evenly. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool.

Combine lettuce, celery, red onion and 1/2 cup cheese crumbles. Toss with blue cheese dressing. Cut cornbread into 8 wedges. Top each wedge with an even amount of salad. Garnish with diced tomatoes and cilantro.

8 servings

More information can be found at www.nationalcornbread.com.

Pimento-cheese sandwich

Pimento-cheese sandwich

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients: 4 oz. extra-sharp cheddar, finely grated; half a jar of pimento (3 oz.), drained and finely chopped; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; a couple of shakes of Tabasco; salt to taste; 4 slices of good white bread.

To prepare: Mash cheese, pimento, mayonnaise, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl with a fork until well combined. Season with salt to taste. Cover and chill 1 hour for flavors to blend. Spread pimento cheese evenly on white bread. Cut each sandwich into triangles and serve.

Although it is not traditional, I prefer my Pimento Cheese with grated apple. Simply select a tart, green apple like a Granny Smith and grate it, peel included into your Pimento Cheese mixture. Stir to incorporate and spread on crackers or toast. De-Lish!

California Chicken Salad

This fresh salad will bring some pizzazz to your day. Apples and walnuts add a dash of sweetness to this tasty treat.

1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup light dairy sour cream
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
6 cups torn mixed salad greens

In a large bowl combine chicken, apples, celery, green onions, and parsley. Stir in sour cream, red wine vinegar, mayonnaise, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir walnuts into chicken mixture. Divide greens among 6 serving plates; top with chicken mixture.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 258 cal., 12 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 70 mg chol., 288 mg sodium, 11 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 26 g pro.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf Bourguignon

3 Tbsp oil

2 lbs lean stew beef cut into cubes

2 carrots, sliced

1 onions, sliced

1/2 cup water

6 Tbsp flour

2 cups red wine (I used Burdandy, but Chianti works well, too)

1 Tbsp tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp butter

1 small bag pearl onions (frozen)

1 pint mushrooms, sliced

salt and pepper to taste.

Salt and flour beef,

heat oil and saute beef until brown on all sides.

 

Remove to plate.

Add water to the pan and deglaze by scraping the brown bits loose with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.

Saute carrots and onions until onion is translucent.

Pour off oil and return beef to cooker.

Stir in red wine, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf.

Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure, then reduce heat to maintain pressure and cook for 40 minutes.

In a separate pan, saute pearl onions and mushroom slices in butter until soft and tender.

Turn off heat on pressure cooker and allow pressure to reduce.

Release lid in sink with lid facing away from you.

Add sauteed onions and mushrooms and serve over prepared egg noodles.

Bon Appetit!

Groundhog Pie

Groundhog Pie

Servings: 6-8

1 groundhog skinned and cleaned

1/4 cup onion

1/4 cup green pepper

1/2 tablespoon minced parsley
 
1 tablespoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

4 1/2 tablespoon flour

3 cups broth

Biscuits:

1 cup flour

2 tablespoon baking powder
 
1/4 teaspoon salt
 
2 tablespoon fat

1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Cut groundhog into 2 or 3 pieces.

Parboil for 1 hour.

Remove meat from bones in large pieces. Add onion, green pepper, parsley, salt, pepper, and flour to the broth and srit until it thickens.

If the broth does not measure 3 cups, add water.

Add the meat to the broth mixture and stir thoroughly.

Pour into baking dish.

For biscuits:

sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Cut in the fat and add the liquid.

Stir until the dry ingredients are moist.

Roll only enough to make it fit the dish.

Place dough on top of meat, put in a hot oven (400 degrees F.) and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until dough is browned.

Fried Chitlins (Chitterlings)

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds chitterlings

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

fine cracker crumbs

1-2 onions

2-3 Bay Leaves

Salt, Pepper, Garlic

oil for deep frying

PREPARATION:

Clean and Prepare chitterlings. Wash chitterlings 3 or 4 times. (

Place in a large kettle with 4 or 5 cups of water with 1 or 2 chopped onions, 2 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 2 cloves minced garlic, and other seasonings as desired.

Simmer for 2 hours or until chitterlings are tender.

Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water.

Cut boiled chitterlings into pieces about the size of oysters.

Dip each piece into egg mixture then roll in crumbs.

Fry in oil at about 370° F until golden brown.

Chicken and dumplings

Keep in mind the key to great dumplings is a great broth.  Rinse your chicken and remove bag of giblets from the cavity. Place chicken in your stew pot and cover with water. Set on your stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium and cook until tender, about an hour. You can also enhance the flavor of your broth by adding carrots, celery, onion or dried onion, garlic, salt and pepper. You can add the giblets, too, but not the liver. Liver can make the broth bitter.

When chicken is tender and falling off the bone, remove it from the broth and set on a plate to cool. Turn off the broth and allow it to cool. At this point you can refrigerate both chicken and broth overnight and continue with recipe in the morning. If not, allow plenty of time for both to cool.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bone and collect pieces of meat on a separate dish. I also keep a third dish close by to place less desirable meat for my fur babies. Note: Do not give your dogs the chicken bones. They can splinter and injure your dog. Throw away chicken carcass in a plastic bag that is tied before throwing into the outdoor trash receptacle.

Cooled broth will have a layer of fat floating on the top. With a large spoon, skim off all visible fat and discard. Pour into a mixing bowl enough broth to make your dumplings. Return broth to cleaned stew pot and bring to rolling boil.

Dumpling ratios:

1 cup self-rising flour to ½ cup broth   OR 1 cup plain flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt to ½ cup broth.

Multiply this by how many dumplings you would like to make. I usually use 3-4 cups flour to 1 ½-2 cups broth.

Work into a dough, but don’t overwork it. The dumplings will be tough. Generously flour your rolling surface and take half of the dumpling dough to roll to a ¼ inch thickness. Slice into 1 inch strips and tear strips into dumplings as you drop them in the boiling broth.

Continue until all the dough is rolled, cut and dropped into the boiling broth. The excess flour on the dumplings should be enough to thicken the broth into a gravy consistency.

Reduce heat. Add chicken and stir. Continue to cook over low heat until all the dumplings are thoroughly cooked and the flavors marry. The liquid will reduce, too, and turn the broth into a thick stew.

Ladle into bowls and serve. Yum-O!

Mary's Authentic Texas Chili

Mary's Authentic Texas Chili

Brown 1 1/2 lbs Hamburger meat

Saute the following in "drippings"

1 large onion, chopped

1 Tb. Parsley flakes

2 cloves minced Garlic, or more to taste

2 tsp Red Pepper, or more to taste

1 tsp Celery Flakes

Add meat back then add:

2 tsp Oregano

1 Tb Chili powder 

salt and pepper to taste

Add:

1 can Rotel or diced tomatos, depending on the heat

1 plastic bottle of tomato juice

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2-3 cans red beans, or chili beans, or pinto beans or combination thereof

OPTIONAL:

1 to 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, or 1 to 2 Tb unsweetened cocoa powder. (be careful, too much makes it bitter!)

Mary said she also heard of using a dash of cinnamon, but had never tried it herself. So I gave it a shot. Very interesting!

Cook for 1 hour

Of course it's ALWAYS better the next day!

I'll serve the chili with chopped scallions, sour cream, grated cheddar and a few corn chips. Perfect meal to make ahead and let the flavors marry. That way you can enjoy your guests on game day.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Adapted from In the Kitchen class at the Brentwood Library, Maria Sochor, instructor

3 24-28 ounce jars of your favorite pasta sauce (I love Bertolli Olive Oil & Garlic)

 

16 ounces ricotta 

1 tsp. dried parsley 

1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan 

12 ounces dry lasagna noodles (use regular lasagna noodles, not the "no-boil" kind)

5 oz. bag prewashed spinach (can use up to 10 oz. or omit entirely)

12 oz. mozzarella, grated

 

*optional extras: portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, browned and drained ground beef…

 

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oil, and spices.

In another medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, and ½ cup Parmesan.

Spoon 1 cup of the tomato mixture into the bowl of a slow cooker. Top with a single layer of noodles, breaking them to fit as necessary. Add a third the spinach and any extra goodies.

Dollop with a third of the ricotta mixture and a third of the remaining tomato mixture. Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella. Add another layer of noodles and repeat with the other ingredients. Add yet another layer of noodles and repeat with other ingredients. Finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining tomato mixture. Sprinkle with 3 T. Parmesan.

Cover the slow cooker and set to low until the noodles are tender, about 3-4 hours. 

Fried Chicken and Gravy

Fried Chicken and Gravy

• 1 chicken, cut into pieces
• Buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups flour
• pinch or two of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Crisco or vegetable oil or peanut oil, deep enough for frying Ingredients

For Gravy

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak the chicken overnight in buttermilk.

Place the flour in a brown paper bag and season with garlic powder, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Line a large plate with several layers of paper towels.

Heat Crisco/oil in a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet, over medium heat. You may have to experiment with the temperature on your stove. The point is to brown the outside without burning while cooking the inside.

Beat the eggs and add whole milk, then dip the chicken in the mixture and place the chicken, one piece at a time, in the bag containing the seasoned flour mixture and shake. Repeat the egg-wash and flour procedure if you want extra crispy chicken like the Colonel.

 You may skip this step altogether if enough flour mixture sticks to the buttermilk on the chicken. Remember to reserve any leftover seasoned flour for the gravy.

Slip the chicken into the hot fat without crowding; the fat should not quite cover the chicken, and when you drop the chicken in, it should sizzle. Adjust the heat if necessary.

 At this stage, a splatter guard (a wire cover laid over the pan) may prove useful to contain the hot grease. The guard lets the steam escape, while allowing the chicken to brown nicely. This is the tricky part...Fry the pieces, turning only once, until the coating is a rich, golden brown on all sides, 10 to 14 minutes.

Decrease the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked all the way through, an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pieces and drain on the prepared paper towels. Do not hold the chicken in a warm oven; it will get soggy.

Gravy… To make the gravy, remove the skillet from the heat.

Pour off most of the grease, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons and any browned bits.

Decrease the heat to very low. Add the butter and cook until foaming.

Add 4 tablespoons of the reserved seasoned flour and stir to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Whisk in the milk and stock.

Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until the gravy is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add more stock or milk to achieve the correct consistency. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper, and even a little cayenne if you‘re up for it.

Sole Muneire

Sole Muneire

1 lemon

4 fillets of Dover Sole, 6 to 7 ounces each

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Flour for dredging

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1. Cut the lemon into quarters lengthwise. Then slice each quarter wedge crosswise into paper-thin slices. Remove any seeds and set aside. Or zest one lemon and reserve the juice.

2. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and dredge them thoroughly in flour. The cookbook suggests putting the flour in a paper bag, adding a fish filet and shaking it. Shake off any excess flour.

3. Heat 4 tablespoons of butter and oil in a large sauté pan (fry pan, skillet) over medium high heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the fillets. Cook, turning once, until golden and cooked through. Should take about 5 minutes.

4. Lower the heat and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the lemon slices. Sprinkle with parsley and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the fillets and server immediately.

Perfectly Roasted Chicken

Roasting Hen

Large White Onion, sliced

2 gloves garlic, peeled and flattened

Lemon or Orange

2 Tablespoons butter

Salt, Pepper, assorted herbs of your choice

To ensure even cooking, let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.

Arrange a single layer of onion slices in the bottom of the roasting pan to form a bed for the chicken. The onion will flavor both the chicken and the pan gravy, and it will prevent the chicken skin from sticking to the pan (or rack) and tearing.

Stuff the cavity with aromatics like fresh herbs, garlic cloves, lemon or orange wedges, and quartered onions to perfume the meat.

Discard any pop-up timers that come with the chicken; an instant-read thermometer gives a far more accurate reading. Rub the skin with a Tablespoon or two of butter. Salt and Pepper.

Roast covered, breat side down in a 400 degree oven for an hour.

Baste every 10-15 minutes with the juices in the bottom of the pan. The bird will darken to a beautiful golden brown.

Using an instant read thermometer, stick in the fattest part of the meat. It should read 180 degrees to be completely cooked.

Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before carving; this allows the juices to collect in the meat instead of in the well of your cutting board.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Tetrazzini

2 cups hot, cooked spaghetti

1 can cream of mushroom soup, diluted with ½ can of water

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 2oz jar diced pimento

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey

½ cup diced onion

½ cup sliced mushroom

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, al dente; drain well and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Sauté onions until tender.

Whisk together soup, water, cheese, mushrooms, pimento. Add cooked onion, cooked turkey, and cooked spaghetti and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a baking dish and top with additional cheese.

Bake the Tetrazzini in the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the top is golden.

Some folks use a variety of cheeses, it’s hard to go wrong.

Some folks don’t add the top layer of cheese, but instead dot the top of the casserole with bread crumbs and butter.

Momma added slivered almonds.

 

Camp Dutch Oven Roast

Camp Dutch Oven Roast

(8) pound chuck roast, 2-to 3- inches thick, bone in if available

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup Burgundy wine

2 cups warm water

3 cups sliced yellow onions

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper

½ cup mushrooms, sliced

6 carrots, cut into sticks

3 tablespoons cornstarch

½ cup water

Preparation Directions

1. Temperature to 350 degrees F

2. Heat vegetable oil in 16-inch dutch oven. Salt and pepper roast on both sides. Sear both sides in hot oil. Pour warm water and Burgundy wine over roast; add garlic, onions, carrots and sliced mushrooms.

3. Cover and cook about 2 ½ hours, turning every 30 to 45 minutes. Pour cooking liquid into a large measuring cup. Skim away fat. If necessary, add a little water or red wine to make 4 cups liquid and return to the cooking pan.

4. Stir in the cornstarch dissolved in ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

5. Return roast to cooking pan and arrange vegetables around the roast. Cover and allow to rest 15 minutes before serving.

Excerpted From BBB, Biscuits & Beans by Bill Cauble and Cliff Teinart – bright sky press

Shrimp Creole

Shrimp Creole

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup each finely diced onion, diced green pepper, diced celery

3-4 cups diced tomatoes

8oz tomato sauce

2-3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon or more to taste of each sugar, salt, chili powder, worstershire

2lbs or more cleaned, raw shrimp, tails removed

Flour to thicken

Tabasco, to taste

 

Dice veggies.

Saute onion, celery and green pepper in oil until tender. I get impatient and don’t dice the veggies small enough or saute them long enough. This step is very important and shouldn’t be rushed.

Add tomatoes, sauce, bay leaves and seasonings. Simmer 30 minutes and discard bay leaves.

Add flour to thicken. (dissolve in a litle water if you are afraid the heat will make lumps or a big dumplin in the middle of the creole)

Add Shrimp and simmer an additional 20-30 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Curry Chicken Divan

Today's version was a mixture of Curry Chicken Divan by Dana Mayes and Broccoli Chicken Casserole by Jill Freeze, both in the Brentwood Hills Church of Christ cookbook published in 1995.

Start with the basics...

chicken

cream of chicken soup

cream of mushroom soup

mayonnaise

Ritz crackers

grated cheddar cheese

Most every chicken casserole recipe I know has these ingredients.

Purchase these...

2 packages chopped broccoli

lemon

curry powder

chopped onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. I use Pam, it's less messy.

Cut up and cook chicken with chopped onion in a little olive oil until chicken is thoroughly cooked and onion is translucent.

Thaw chopped broccoli in a bowl and drain off water.

Place broccoli in a dish and top with cooked chicken and onion mixture.

Mix together one can of cream of chicken soup, one can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup sour cream (just 'cause it's in the fridge), 1/2 mayonnaise, and a teaspoon of curry. Add to mixture a cup of grated cheddar cheese and the juice of one lemon.

Pour mixture atop the chicken and onion layer in your casserole dish.

Take a sleeve of Ritz crackers and crumble into a fine topping or use bread crumbs to top the casserole. Dot with small pieces of butter, optional.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until heated through and bubbly. Enjoy!

CREAMED CHICKEN OVER CORNBREAD

CREAMED CHICKEN OVER CORNBREAD

Modified from a recipe by Miss Daisy King

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup plain flour

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups light cream

2 cups milk

Melt butter. Add flour and salt and cook until bubbly. Add chicken stock. Stir with whisk until smooth. Add cream and milk. Simmer 30 minutes and add the following:

4 cups cubed, cooked chicken

8 oz can mushroom pieces

1 sm. jar diced pimento, drained

1/4 cup sherry

8 oz water chestnuts, sliced and drained

Slice cornbread and spoon on chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and onions, optional.

Suggested serving Creamed Chicken over corn bread with frozen cranberry salad and marinated carrots. Don't forget the fudge pie and peppermint ice cream for dessert!

Fried Baloney Sandwiches

Fried Baloney Sandwiches

Simply heat a small amount of peanut oil on medium in a large skillet.

With chicken scissors cut an inch or two into the slice of baloney 3-4 time to keep it from curling. Only use thick sliced deli baloney, too, the pre-packaged pre-sliced stuff will shrivel up to nothing.

Plan on two pieces of bologna per sandwich. Fry about three minutes per side, adding a little more oil if necessary. When it’s frying on the second side, smear on a little barbeque sauce.

To build the sandwich, use white bread. This is no time to counting calories or fussing about whole grains. Add lettuce, tomato and onion if you like, or if you are a purest like me just use the sauce on fried bologna.

Top with cheese while still warm and put the sandwich together. Some folks toast the bread. I do, it makes for a better presentation.

Bon Appetit!